1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector assembly with a connection confirmation mechanism which enable visual confirmation that the male and female connectors have been completely connected with each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
When connecting male and female connectors, there is known a connector assembly with a connection confirmation mechanism which is engaged by a locking arm and also engaged by a lock member for double locking of the male and female connectors and which enables detection of incomplete connection of the male and female connectors by the lock member.
An example of this type of connector assembly with a connection confirmation mechanism is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, a lock member 50 is attached pivotally to the top surface of the female connector 40. The pivot shaft of the lock member 50 has attached to it a coil spring 52, the spring force of this coil spring 52 keeping the lock member 50 constantly open upward with respect to the female connector 40. At the rear surface of the lock member 50 is provided an engagement projection 51.
The male connector 30 has a locking arm 32 formed on it.
To attach the male connector 30 to the female connector 40, the two connectors 30 and 40 are connected to each other completely and then the lock member 50 is pushed down against the spring force of the coil spring 52 to make the engagement projection 51 provided on the rear surface of the lock member 50 engage with the top surface of the male connector 30 and thereby doubly lock the two connectors 30 and 40. Whether or not the engagement projection 51 provided at the rear surface of the lock member 50 is engaged with the male connector 30 enables detection of incomplete connection of the two connectors 30 and 40.
Further, there is known the connector assembly shown in FIG. 2 as a related connector assembly with a connection confirmation mechanism. As shown in FIG. 2, the female connector 40a has a plate-like lock member 60 attached pivotally to it. At the front end of the top surface of the lock member 60 there are attached elastic engagement pieces 61 having engagement pawls 62. At the front end of the rear surface of the lock member 60, further, engagement projections 63 are formed projecting outward. The engagement projections 63 of the lock members 62 can be made to engage with the inside edges 41a of the front end of the grooves 41 provided at the top surface of the female connector 40a so as to enable closure.
The male connector 30a fit in the female connector 40a has a locking arm 32a formed on it.
To attach the male connector 30a to the female connector 40a, the two connectors 30 and 40 are completely connected, then the lock member 60 is pushed down to cause the engagement projections 53 provided on the rear surface of the lock member 60 to engage with the male connector 30a and doubly lock the two connectors 30a and 40a. Whether or not the engagement projections 63 provided on the rear surface of the lock member 60 engage with the male connector 30a enables detection of incomplete connection of the two connectors 30a and 40a.
In the connector assembly with the connection confirmation mechanism shown in FIG. 1, however, there was the problem that before connection of the two connectors 30 and 40, the lock member 50 would always be in the open state, so during transportation of the connector, during the work for arranging the wire harness connected to the female connector 40, etc., the lock member 50 would be damaged by mechanical force exerted on it.
On the other hand, in the connector assembly with the connection confirmation mechanism shown in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, since it was possible to make the engagement pawls 62 provided at the front ends of the elastic engagement pieces 61 formed on the lock member 60 engage with the inner edges 41a at the front ends of the grooves 41 provided in the top surface of the female connector 40a to close the member, there was the advantage that it was possible to prevent the lock member 60 from being damaged by mechanical force exerted on it during transportation of the connector, during the work for arranging the wire harness connected to the female connector 40, etc.
However, when the two connectors 30a and 40a were incompletely connected, as shown in FIG. 4, the portion of the lock member 60 projecting upward would be small and there was no great difference from the state in which there was normal double locking, so there was the problem that it was extremely difficult to detect visually if the connectors were locked. Further, even if the two connectors 30a and 40a were connected and the lock member 60 closed, there was the problem that it was hard to confirm if the two connectors 30a and 40a were completely doubly locked for the same reason as above when forgetting to doubly lock them.
There is also known the connector assembly shown in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 1-174881 as a connector assembly with a connection confirmation mechanism. In the connector assembly disclosed in this publication, the lock member attached to the female connector is made movable upward and downward along an elongated hole. Only when joined by the locking arm will the lock member project upward. By pushing in this lock member, double locking is achieved. According to this connector assembly, there is the advantage of easy confirmation of poor locking compared with the connector assembly of the type with the pivoting lock member shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
However, even in the connector assembly disclosed in this publication, the amount of the projection of the lock member is small and therefore there has been a demand for a connector assembly enabling reliable confirmation of poor locking.